Launching a new product can be nerve-wracking and exciting. I personally was excited just getting to see all the New Product winners at the sofi Awards this year. And this is the time of year when many brands come out with new products for the summer season. They advertise them in every media spot possible, including traditional television and print, but more than ever before social media to add hype to new product rollouts.

But, when launching a new product on social media, you have to think about how it translates to the platform as well as how to communicate the product’s purpose to consumers.

Here are a few ways you can use social media to launch your next product:

Research your audience. I see this time and again: Brands want to launch a product but they have no clue who their target is. Before you market your product, develop an active plan. Spend time and research the audiences that interact with your social content already. See who’s the most vocal and get to know what they like and don’t like. Think of it from the consumer POV, and think about how your content can influence a consumer’s buying decision.

Share teasers. If you have a new product or an existing product with a new design, a great way to get the user’s attention is to post teasers on your social pages. Instagram and Facebook are the optimal platforms for a teaser strategy. And if you have a mailing list, show a sneak preview of what’s to come in your emails.

Create a branded hashtag. Coming up with a catchy hashtag can be an effective way to help your new product stand out and curate conversations about it. For instance, snack powerhouse Oreo created a hashtag #OreoHorrorStories to amplify new Halloween flavors for the season. This allowed fans and followers to engage and even buy the Halloween Oreos online. Oreo was able to create horror-movie inspired video shorts to post on social, and it received huge success as a result.

Create videos. If it’s within your budget, investing in short-form social videos can greatly impact your launch. Because they are so visual, videos often can create a stronger impact than written content. They take a lot of effort to create, but your hard work will pay off when you see engagement go up.

Find influencers. This depends on your budget, but finding influencers who will be able to display your new product to their audiences can strengthen the product’s reach. Because of their popularity, influencers’ content is often well received among their followers. If they put in a good word about your product, your brand reputation increases by association.

These are just a few options on how to maximize social media for your next product launch. Do you have any tips that were successful? Let us know in the Q&A Forum.